Michael Carrick has reiterated that remembering and understanding the Munich Air Disaster is a shared responsibility for everyone connected to Manchester United, describing it as central to the identity and history of the club.
The United boss was speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur.
Notably, the briefing was held on Thursday rather than its usual Friday slot, a decision taken to avoid clashing with the 68th anniversary of the Munich tragedy, which will be marked at Old Trafford with the annual memorial service on Friday afternoon.
As attention briefly shifted from football to reflection, Carrick was asked about Munich at the close of the opening section of the press conference, underlining how deeply the moment still resonates across generations at the club.
Turning back to on-pitch matters, Carrick also reflected on his recent conversation with Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank, a meeting that came earlier in the season before both men found themselves in the dugout ahead of a competitive showdown.
“Yeah, it certainly can change,” Carrick said. “I really enjoyed it, actually… we had a good chat just about general kind of football things… It will be good to see him again.”
With United preparing to face Spurs, a club Carrick once represented, the former midfielder revisited his own journey and how quickly his bond with United was formed after arriving from north London nearly two decades ago.
“It was pretty instant,” he explained. “Coming here was a jump and a big jump at the time… once you step inside this place as a footballer, it turns you… from then on that was me.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s contest, Carrick acknowledged the tactical and physical test Tottenham will bring, especially with key players returning from injury and their attacking threat posing questions United must answer.
“They’ve got really good attackers who look to stretch the backline and play forward and attack the box an awful lot,” he noted. “It’s something we’ve got to be aware of… a big challenge ahead but we’re looking forward to it.”
Finally, Carrick touched on his positive start in the role, insisting progress has been built steadily rather than through sudden expectations.
“It was step by step,” he said. “Certainly the three wins have been fantastic in different ways… but it’s coming from a good place.”
As United balance remembrance with competition, Carrick’s message was clear: honouring the past remains as important as preparing for the next challenge on the pitch.
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